The present invention relates generally to wireless communications devices, and particularly to wireless communication devices capable of communicating with a remote device in both a peer-to-peer mode and across a cellular communications network.
Wireless communication networks have been an integral part of society for many years. Mobile terminals, such as cellular telephones, for example, generally use such networks to communicate voice and data with remote devices. Over time, wireless networks have evolved to facilitate the communication of a variety of different types of data at ever-increasing bit-rates to meet consumer demand for faster, better services. However, for a variety of different reasons, wireless networks typically have not been able to provide the same type of experience to users as a fixed wireline network is able to provide. The latest solution, referred to as “Long Term Evolution” (LTE), promises to change that. With LTE networks, wireless users will have the ability to use applications typically reserved for use on wireline networks, such as the Internet. Such applications include, but are not limited to, Voice over IP (VoIP) and streaming video and music.
In addition to communicating over these fixed wireless networks, suitably-equipped mobile terminals can also communicate directly via a short-range communication interface. With short-range interfaces, such as BLUETOOTH, for example, mobile terminals detect one another when they come within close proximity to each other. Once detected, the mobile terminals can establish a communications channel between them to share data over short distances. Generally, BLUETOOTH-type connections are unplanned and occur when two or more devices detect each other. Additionally, the connections break down once two connected devices travel away from each other beyond the distance required to communicate over the short-range interface, which is usually a few tens of meters. Thus, such short-range connections are usually referred to as “ad-hoc” connections.